Newslinks for Monday 18th August

Cameron: ‘Nothing matters more than family’

‘Mr Cameron will announce that the 520,000 families will get help with unemployment, antisocial behaviour, debt and truancy. Work will start in 50 council areas. In a speech in London, the PM will say: “For me, nothing matters more than family.’ – The Sun (£)

Fallon: Iraq action may take months

‘Addressing airmen and soldiers,Mr Fallon said: ‘This mission isn’t over. The humanitarian needs are there…There may well now be in the next few weeks and months other ways that we may need to help save life, protect people. We are going to need all of you again and the surveillance you are able to give us.’ – Daily Mail

Build more bungalows

‘Brandon Lewis, who was appointed Minister of State for Housing and Planning in last month’s reshuffle, is urging developers to build more ‘quintessentially British’ bungalows. In recent years there has been a dramatic drop in the construction of bungalows – partly because builders see larger properties as being more profitable.’ – Daily Mail

The lefty guerrillas politicising the charity sector

‘Nearly half of Gordon Brown’s former Downing Street aides are working for charities and think-tanks through which they are accused of mounting a guerilla war against the Tories. Eleven of the 25 special advisers who worked for Mr Brown in 2009 when he was prime minister have taken roles at the organisations, claimed to be used as vehicles for a pro-Labour agenda…Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: ‘There is clearly a revolving door between charities and the Labour Party.’’ – Daily Mail

Four point rise for Scottish Yes campaign

‘Support for Scotland to become an independent country has risen by four points in a week, according to a YouGov poll for The Times. With exactly a month to go until the referendum, YouGov found 38 per cent supporting independence, 51 per cent saying they wanted to stay part of the UK and 11 per cent saying they did not know or would not vote.’ – The Times (£)

Struggling NHS hospitals ‘in denial’

‘A hard core of struggling hospitals are “in denial” about their failure to provide safe and high-quality care to their patients, the chief inspector of hospitals warns. In an interview with The Independent, Professor Sir Mike Richards said that some NHS trusts had failed to “look outside” their own institutions for what “sometimes seems like decades” and adopt the best practices of other, more successful hospitals.’ – The Independent

Growing pressure to end EU free movement

‘David Cameron is facing growing Tory pressure to curb free movement as part of Britain’s renegotiation with Europe. Iain Duncan Smith, Theresa May and Boris Johnson are among those who want him to do more to deter European Union migrants, according to sources close to senior Conservatives.’ – The Times (£)

Lib Dems’ ‘3 million jobs’ lie nailed

‘Back at the end of June, Alexander asserted in a speech (which he helpfully leaked in advance) that ‘over three million jobs’ were at stake if Britain left the EU. He attributed this to ‘the latest Treasury analysis’,..the Open Europe think-tank on June 26 submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act for release of the ‘latest Treasury analysis’…It admits that ‘the full source’ of Alexander’s claim is a Treasury assessment done in… 2003. So much for the Lib Dem Cabinet Minister’s assertion that this is hot news.’ – Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail

Tories must learn from Canada to win minority votes

‘Now the party is trying to mirror an aggressive ethnic-outreach effort carried out in Canada. Several meetings have already taken place with politician Jason Kenney, who spearheaded an effort that drove the support of “visible minorities” for his Conservative party to 31%. “Just imagine what it would mean if we could do that here,” said one politician, arguing it could also cut into Labour’s base.’ – Anushka Asthana, The Guardian

Sainsbury’s removes kosher food in fear of Gaza protests

‘A Sainsbury’s branch emptied its kosher food shelf after the manager feared anti-Israeli protesters outside would attack it, the supermarket giant has said. Meats, cheeses and sauces were removed from a Sainsbury’s Local branch in Holborn, central London, as it was picketed by demonstrators who were calling on the grocer to boycott Israeli goods. The incident yesterday afternoon happened on the same day anti-Israeli activists ‘wreaked havoc’ at a Birmingham branch of Tesco when a demonstration got out of hand.’ – Daily Mail

Has cancelling an Israeli play damaged the Edinburgh Festival? – The Herald

Rural voters ‘want and expect’ repeal of the hunting ban

‘The Tories must promise to repeal the hunting ban if they want the backing of rural voters, David Cameron has been warned. Sir Barney White-Spunner, the executive chairman of the Countryside Alliance, said that a huge constituency of rural voters “want and expect” the pledge to be included in the Tories’ pitch to the electorate.’ – The Times (£)

After two years, Assange to leave the Ecuadorian embassy – The Sun (£)

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